Like honey bees swarming around honeycombs, business moguls with deep pockets have become attracted to the game of football and are using their financial endowments to impact positively on the biggest clubs in world football. One interesting thing about these billionaires who have found new goldmines in football is that they are from varied backgrounds having successfully built their business empires in other money spinning ventures like oil and gas, technology, and real estate.

However, once they are lured into football by the money, prestige, and fame which the sport offers in large doses, the billionaires who emerge from different business interests become the transformation agents for their respective clubs.

The substantial financial resources at the disposal of the world’s richest football owners usually produce instant impact, making their clubs compete at the highest level after attracting some of the world’s best players. They easily outbid other competitors for the best legs in the world. Furthermore, clubs that are lucky to land such big spenders witness appreciable upliftment in infrastructure, including stadiums upgrade and training facilities.

After investing heavily in the clubs, the billionaires can not be denied the fame and prestige that flow from the inevitable accomplishments in national and continental competitions. They also enjoy special recognition across the globe as their influence extends beyond the clubs.

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Therefore, the all-round transformation in some European clubs like Chelsea, Manchester City, PSG, Newcastle, and a host of others is a testament to the indisputable advantage of having a billionaire owner.

Here are the top clubs in the EPL and their owners who lifted them from strugglers to powerhouses in football.

Manchester City:

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan (City Football Group, UAE) (net worth $21bn)

Sheikh Mansour, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, is a prominent figure in global sports and business. Known for his calm demeanour and strategic vision, Sheikh Mansour transformed Manchester City into a football powerhouse after acquiring the club in 2008. Beyond football, Sheikh Mansour is the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Manchester United:

Avram & Joel Glazer (USA) (net worth $1.7bn)

The Glazer brothers are the co-chairmen Manchester United, inheriting the club from their father, Malcolm Glazer, after his 2005 acquisition. Known for their business-first approach, they have faced criticism from fans for prioritizing profits over footballing success. Both are successful businessmen, with a diversified portfolio that includes real estate and NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Liverpool:

John W. Henry (Fenway Sports Group, USA) (net worth $6bn)

John W. Henry, the principal owner of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), is a data-driven businessman and sports enthusiast. He is known for transforming struggling franchises, including the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball, before acquiring Liverpool in 2010. His approach returned the most successful English club side to the pinnacle of European football, winning the Premier League and Champions League under his ownership.

Chelsea:

Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital (USA) (net worth $8.5bn)

Todd Boehly, the public face of Chelsea’s ownership group, is an ambitious and dynamic businessman. As a co-founder of Eldridge Industries, he has vast experience in managing investments across various sectors, including sports, media, and real estate.

Arsenal:

Stan Kroenke (Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, USA) (net worth $16.9bn)

Stan Kroenke is a reserved yet influential businessman known for his extensive sports empire, including NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS teams. Kroenke acquired a controlling stake in Arsenal in 2011 and has faced criticism from fans for being perceived as a distant and profit-focused owner.

Newcastle United:

Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) (net worth $930bn)

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is a sovereign wealth fund with over $700 billion in assets. PIF’s acquisition of Newcastle United in 2021 marked a shift in the club’s ambitions, backed by seemingly unlimited resources.

Billionaires with huge interest in African football

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa): Patrice Motsepe (South Africa)

Patrice Motsepe, one of Africa’s wealthiest men, is a mining magnate and philanthropist. Known for his calm and diplomatic personality, he has a deep passion for football and has been the owner of Mamelodi Sundowns since 2004. Under his leadership, Sundowns have become South Africa’s most successful club, winning multiple domestic and continental titles.

TP Mazembe (DR Congo): Moïse Katumbi (DR Congo)

Moïse Katumbi is a charismatic and influential businessman-politician who has elevated TP Mazembe to international prominence.TP Mazembe’s success in winning multiple CAF Champions League titles is a testament to his ambitious vision. Katumbi is also a significant political figure in DR Congo, known for his advocacy for good governance and development.

Nigerian billionaires who own clubs abroad

Kunle Soname – Owner of C.D. Feirense, Portugal  

Kunle Soname is a dynamic entrepreneur, politician, and avid sports enthusiast. He is the founder and chairman of a leading gaming platform launched in 2013. His passion for football inspired him to expand into the international sports scene by purchasing C.D. Feirense, a Portuguese football club, in 2015. 

In Nigeria, Soname founded Remo 

Stars Football Club in 2004, initially named FC DENDER. He relocated the team from Lagos to the Remo region in Ogun State, where it competes in the top tier of the Nigerian Premier League.

Shola Akinlade – Aarhus Fremad, Denmark

Shola Akinlade is the co-founder and CEO of Paystack, a pioneering payment platform acquired by Stripe. His interest in football led him to acquire a 55% stake in Aarhus Fremad, a Danish football club, in 2022, making him the majority owner. 

That same year, he founded Sporting Lagos FC, based in Lagos, Nigeria. The club competes in the Nigeria National League and serves as a talent pipeline, bridging Nigerian players with opportunities in European football. 

Dorothy Nneka Ede – Lusitano Ginásio Clube, Portugal  

Dorothy Nneka Ede made history as the first Nigerian woman to own a European football club. She acquired Lusitano Ginásio Clube, also known as Lusitano de Évora, in June 2020.  

With over 110 years of history, the Portuguese club competes in the Campeonato de Portugal, the fourth tier of the national football league. Under Ede’s leadership, the club has focused on improving its infrastructure and performance while fostering community pride and support. 

Dangote’s romance with English giants, Arsenal

Had Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote not abandoned plans to purchase Premier League club Arsenal, citing the soaring valuation of the club and his commitment to completing the continent’s largest oil refinery, he would have become the fourth Nigerian to own a football club in Europe.

In a September 2024 interview with Bloomberg, Dangote, an ardent Arsenal fan, reflected on his earlier ambition to buy the London club. Back in 2019, he had expressed a desire to acquire Arsenal after completing his 650,000-barrel-a-day refinery near Lagos, Nigeria. Despite his unwavering loyalty to Arsenal, Dangote explained that the club’s current valuation has made such a move financially impractical.  

“I think that time has passed,” Dangote admitted. “The last time we spoke, I said that after completing the refinery, I’d try to buy Arsenal. But everything has gone up. The club is doing very well now. Back then, Arsenal wasn’t performing as it is today. I just don’t have the excess liquidity to spend $4 billion on a club simply as a promotional venture.” 

He reiterated his devotion to Arsenal, vowing to remain one of its biggest supporters. “I watch their games every day and will continue to cheer for them. But purchasing the club no longer makes sense for me financially,” he said. 

“I regret not buying Arsenal when it was valued at $2 billion, but my priority was finishing the refinery,” Dangote stated. “It was a tough choice, but completing the refinery was the right one. A lot of people doubted it could be done, but we proved them wrong.” 

Nigerians want Africa’s richest man to start at home

After he made the revelation, football fans took to Twitter now X to call on Dangote to redirect his investment toward developing local football. Many suggested that his involvement could significantly improve the NPFL.

Owochejo Francis said, “Why can’t you establish a football club here in Nigeria to help create more job opportunities and further promote the local league? As the richest man in Africa, if you own a club here, other people will follow in your footsteps.”

Arong Usang added, “Buy our Nigerian teams and sponsor them. The salaries of English players are enough to run our league with ease. So, act like Ifeanyi Ubah… It’s not only the English Premier League that plays football.”

Adeniyi Adeleke also suggested that Dangote should invest heavily in Nigerian football by owning a stadium.

“Sir, why not invest in the Nigerian football league by having your team, stadium, and much other stuff?”

Adeiza Valentine simply wrote, “Kano Pillars are there; it is not too late to buy a football club.”